


The Only Exception

by bakagayama



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Confessions, Fluff, Getting Together, KageHina - Freeform, M/M, One Shot, Songfic, how does one tag, i love paramore, mentions of cheating, no self harm dw, poor kageyama, the only exception, wow this is my first time using ao3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 21:19:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14144799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bakagayama/pseuds/bakagayama
Summary: A one-shot where Kageyama forgets how to love, so Hinata teaches him again one step at a time.Inspired by "The Only Exception" by Paramore.





	The Only Exception

**Author's Note:**

> 『♪』 means the line is a lyric ,,

『♪』When I was younger

Kageyama narrowed his eyes wordlessly at the old family portrait in front of him, trying to recollect his thoughts. He rested his cheek in his palm, sighing wistfully as he struggled to remember a time when his family wasn't broken.

Tracing the delicate picture frame lightly with the tip of his finger, he stared at the happy scene being portrayed. He recalled that the photo was taken at a family reunion about ten years ago, when he was five years old, and allowed himself to sink back into his memories.

The reunion was held at a park that year, since his uncle had planned a huge barbecue style picnic for everyone. Not long after arriving to the event, young Kageyama's childlike wonder had caused him to go exploring throughout the large park.

Soon, the small boy had managed to find a playground filled with other children running and screaming. He tried to talk to some of them, but they ran away at one look of his scary face. Oh well, he wasn't the best at making friends anyway.

After checking out the play structure, he settled on the swings, but soon realized that he had no one to push him. Frowning slightly, he made his way back to the grassy field, where the rest of his family was.

He asked his older cousins if they could play with him, but they all refused to take part in his childish activities. He never really got along with his cousins anyway; they were always fearful of his scowling face, despite the fact that they were older than him.

So instead, he migrated to his father, Tadao Kageyama, who was helping to set up the picnic blanket. "Daddy, can you come push me on the swing set?"

The large man gave his son his usual wide, lopsided smile and wholeheartedly agreed. Along the way back to the playground, they bumped into his mother, Chiyo, who was gossiping with the other aunts.

"Mama, come on, we're going to the swings!" young Kageyama cried, tugging on the woman's sleeve.

"Okay, okay," she replied, giggling lightly as they continued their journey to the swing set.

Upon arriving to their destination, Kageyama found that the playground was almost deserted, as the ice cream truck had come around so all the children were buying a tasty treat.

He rushed to the open swing nearest to them and hopped on happily. "Daddy, come push me!"

Tadao let out a hearty chuckle and complied, making his way to where Kageyama sat. He began to shove the swing softly, until Kageyama shouted for him to go higher with a gleeful laugh.

In fact, Kageyama was so caught up in swinging as high as he could that he didn't notice his mother pulling out a Polaroid camera out of her purse and snap a picture of the family.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Kageyama came back to reality and took another look at the Polaroid picture, noticing the way his mother smiled cheekily into the camera, her blue eyes shut.

He then observed how his younger self was caught with his mouth and eyes wide open in happiness, ecstatic to be soaring like a crow on the swing set.

His eyes wandered to his father who was looking at his wife with such a loving gaze that it was impossible to believe that they had gotten a divorce.

『♪』I saw my daddy cry

It was when Kageyama was ten years old that his father's usual smile was replaced by constant sorrow and his eyebrows were creased with wrinkles of worry.

His mother had been coming home less and less as she claimed to be busy with work and Tadao tried to hide the fact that he was concerned about her.

Their marriage was slowly falling apart, and ten year old Kageyama had no idea why. So he assumed it was probably his fault.

However, things began to turn for the worst when his father decided to take Kageyama to the same park that they had grown to love so much.

The ten-year-old had asked his father to go to the playground with him because he thought it would cheer him up; however, he couldn't have been more wrong.

On his way to the swings, Kageyama stopped abruptly, seeing something he wasn't meant to see.

"What's wrong, Tobi—oh," Tadao followed Kageyama's trail of sight and gasped loudly at what he saw.

Kageyama's mother was sitting on the wooden bench near the playground.

With her hands on another man.

"D-Daddy...I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, I promise! I didn't know she would be at the park t-too."

And with that, his father broke into tears, heavy sobs wracking his body.

『♪』And curse at the wind

Kageyama blamed himself. If he had never asked his father to go to the park, he wouldn't have been sad. This was all his fault.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy."

『♪』He broke his own heart

The following day, Kageyama's father had the divorce papers ready, anxiously waiting for his soon to be ex-wife to come home.

As soon as she walked through the door, Kageyama was ushered to his room, where he tried to tune out the shouting match his parents were having downstairs.

Wincing, he crawled into bed and let out a choked sob, silently crying into his pillow. Kageyama soon fell asleep, not even wishing his mother a goodbye as she fled the house furiously.

"Tobio...your mother and I are splitting up," Tadao had explained to the ten-year old boy the next day. "I'll be getting custody of you and your mother will get the house."

『♪』And I watched as he tried to reassemble it

After the papers were legalized, Kageyama and his father had to stay with their old friends, the Kindaichi family for about three years. Just until his father could scrounge up enough money to buy a new house near a good high school.

"We're finally moving, Tobio. The new house is by that high school, Karasuno was it? I hear that they have a good volleyball team, maybe you would like to try out?" His father rambled on, trying to hide the sadness he bore.

Suddenly, in one swift motion, Kageyama pulled his father into an embrace. "I'm so sorry, Dad. I know you're sad, and I'm sad too, but we'll get through this, okay?" he cried, clutching his father's shirt.

Tadao smiled sadly and hugged the small boy back, but didn't say a word.

『♪』And my momma swore

The day they moved into their new house, Kageyama's mother gave them a visit with a gift in hand. Thirteen year old Tobio was left alone as his father went out to get groceries.

"What I did...was unforgivable," she began, carefully choosing her words. "I would apologize a thousand times if I had to, but I know that meaningless words won't solve anything."

"Mom...you left without saying anything to me," Tobio whimpered, refusing to let his mother see the tears gathering in his eyes.

"I know, I know. I'm so sorry, Tobio," she whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" He cried, scrambling backwards. "Not with those hands!"

Chiyo sighed, her crestfallen face visible to Tobio. "It seems I've done enough damage, so I'll go now. But before I leave, I have something for you," she added, pushing a small Polaroid picture towards Kageyama.

『♪』That she would never let herself forget

"It's the one we took at the park eight years ago," she continued. "I made a copy for myself, and stuck it in my wallet to remind myself of the sin I've committed. And so I wouldn't forget you."

『♪』And that was the day that I promised

Kageyama reached for the picture warily, planning to put it in his room, just as Chiyo turned to leave.

"Goodbye Tobio, I love you."

『♪』I'd never sing of love, if it does not exist

"Bye Mom," he whispered, unable to bring himself to say 'I love you' back.

『♪』But darlin'

Tobio snapped back to reality, still looking at the picture he had just received. He found that just analyzing the picture helped him calm down, which was what he needed right now, seeming as he started his new high school tomorrow.

Turning off his desk lamp and crawling into his new bed, Kageyama fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The next day, Kageyama stood in front of Karasuno High's gym, wondering what his first day at volleyball club would be like. Hopefully not like his old middle school, Kitagawa Daiichi, which he attended with the eldest son of the Kindaichi family.

There, Kindaichi had told everyone that Kageyama's mother had left him and they constantly made fun of him for it.

"Your face is so scary! Like a robot! No wonder your mom left you!"

"Yeah, no one could love someone as ugly as you!"

Kageyama ignored them. He always did. Instead, he took out his anger in volleyball, the club he had after school, which is what earned him the nickname "King of the Court."

Although Tobio was never good at making friends or talking to people, he wasn't used to people hating him so much like at Kitagawa Daiichi.

Gulping nervously, he entered the empty gym and started to put the net up, deciding to work on his serves to calm his nerves.

However, he didn't get very far before a certain orange-haired first year interrupted his practice.

『♪』You are, the only exception

"Oi, it's YOU!" He cried, stomping towards Kageyama. "King of the Court!"

"Dumbass, don't call me that!" Wincing slightly, Kageyama realized he had reverted back to his old, angry self. Memories of his old teammates turning on him when he impulsively insulted them flooded his mind.

"I'm not a dumbass, dumbass!"

『♪』You are, the only exception

"Idiot, stop copying my insults," Kageyama retorted, smirking a bit. At least he knew that this guy was too dumb to get offended by anything he said.

"I have a name, y'know! It's Hinata Shouyou!"

"Kageyama Tobio."

"What?"

"That's my name, Kageyama Tobio."

"Oh...wait! I'm supposed to beat you! How can I do that when we're playing for the same team?"

"You'll just have to work together," A new voice entered. "Ah, I'm guessing you're the new first years. I'm Sawamura Daichi, the captain."

However, the two didn't seem to hear their new captain and instead continued bickering. Which caused them to get kicked out of the gym.

"Come back when you two learn how to cooperate," Sugawara, the official setter sighed, shutting the gym doors.

"Let me get one thing straight. I only toss to those who are essential to winning," Tobio stated firmly, crossing his arms and glaring at the smaller boy.

『♪』You are, the only exception

"Guess I'll have to show you how valuable I am then, Bakageyama," Hinata replied, grinning devilishly.

Kageyama only sighed in return, not bringing up the fact that Hinata had almost no volleyball experience and the two continued to practice.

『♪』You are, the only exception

Whack!

"OH MY GOD KAGEYAMA DID YOU SEE THAT? THE QUICK WORKED! THE BALL WENT 'WHOOSH' AND WHEN IT HIT MY HAND IT WAS ALL 'GWAH'!"

『♪』Maybe I know, somewhere

Someone actually hit his freak toss. And it was his sworn rival, none the less. Despite that, he was still happy, happy that they had won their match and got to stay in the club.

And perhaps, happy that he made a new friend.

『♪』Deep in my soul

But did Hinata consider him a friend? After all, the short boy was quite popular with the other first years. Did he even want a friend like Kageyama who would probably intimidate everyone into staying away from Hinata?

...Why was he so concerned about the short spiker anyway?

『♪』That love never lasts

Yeah, no. Hinata would never want a friend like Kageyama. Maybe Tobio was just incapable of making friends.

So he resorted to insulting the poor boy, calling him a dumbass every now and then. Anything to get him to stay away. Anything to protect the redhead from becoming tainted with Tobio's negativity.

But...Tobio couldn't resist sneaking a peek every time Hinata flashed one of his adorable grins.

Wait, adorable? No, no, no, Kageyama meant shit-eating. Yeah. His shit-eating grins. There was no way Tobio thought Hinata's smiles were adorable. No siree.

『♪』And we've got to find other ways

Aside from that, Kageyama couldn't bring himself to talk to the spiker normally. So instead, he kept quiet and only spoke to the boy during volleyball practice.

『♪』To make it alone

Maybe Kageyama was destined to end up old and alone, possibly with twenty-three cats.

Honestly, dying alone scared him a lot more than it should have. He was terrified that he would never make a single friend, that he would be completely and utterly alone with no one to turn to.

『♪』But keep a straight face

Maybe it was the way he looked. God, he wished he wasn't born with such an unappealing scowl constantly etched into his face. He wished that he could truly smile without anyone in his vicinity yelping and running away from him.

『♪』And I've always lived like this

But it wasn't like Kageyama wasn't used to this happening. After being teased all throughout middle school, he found that it was easier if he never smiled, so he did just that.

『♪』Keeping a comfortable, distance

Because of this, he never tried to socialize with anyone other than his father, who almost never came home anymore. He was busy with work, he claimed, but Kageyama knew that his father was trying to distance himself from any evidence of the pain of losing the love of his life.

『♪』And up until now, I had sworn to myself that I'm content

"What's wrong Kageyama?" Hinata asked during morning practice, noticing the sullen look on the setter's face.

"None of your business."

『♪』With loneliness

Kageyama glared at the boy, hoping that that alone would scare him off so Kageyama could think in peace.

『♪』Because none of it was ever worth the risk

However, Hinata stayed, giving Tobio a suspicious look.

"If you keep glaring like that, you're gonna get stuck that way, y'know."

"So what?"

"Then you'll never be able to smile!"

"I don't smile anyway, what's the difference?"

"Well, you should start smiling then!"

"Why should I?" Kageyama responded disinterestedly.

"Just because! It makes you more...approachable!"

Kageyama sighed, giving in to the short middle blocker. "...Fine. If I smile, you'll leave me alone, right?"

Hinata nodded, eyes shining in eagerness.

Kageyama's lips turned upwards at the cute appearance of Hinata, flashing the redhead a wary smile.

He had honestly expected the boy to run away, screaming bloody murder and was surprised when Hinata started laughing.

"Sh-Shut up! Why are you laughing at me instead of running away or something?"

"Oh god Kageyama, your smile sure is funny. But it suits you, y'know?"

"It...does?"

『♪』But, you are, the only exception

"Mhm," Hinata nodded. "I really like your smile," he added, with a slight tint in his cheeks.

Thump.

Kageyama clutched at his chest, feeling his heart drumming wildly.

Shit. What was this feeling?

『♪』You are, the only exception

"Wait, why did you think I would run away from you?"

"I–I don't know. All of my middle school peers hated me, so I assumed you did too."

『♪』You are, the only exception

"Well I'm not like them, Bakageyama! So stop underestimating me!" He exclaimed, before a confused look showed upon his face. "Why did they hate you...?" He asked, softly.

Kageyama sighed. "Well, after word got out that my parents divorced and my mom left, everyone teased me for having a face so scary that even my own mother couldn't love me. I suffered from social withdrawal and ended up bottling all of my anger. The only way I could express myself was through volleyball, and even then my teammates hated me for being too aggressive. But how could I stop myself? I needed to take out my anger on something," he vented, clutching his fists and glaring at the ground. "Sorry...I don't know why I'm telling you all of my life problems."

『♪』You are, the only exception

"Dummy, why are you apologizing? You can tell me anything. You can trust me."

"Can I really?"

"Well, I mean you've got to! I'm your partner and your friend after all."

"Friend?" Somehow, that word sparked a warm feeling that radiated throughout his whole body. 

"Yeah! Wait, hold on—am I your first friend? I am, aren't I!" Hinata shouted, grinning from ear to ear.

"Shut up, dumbass," Kageyama shot back, but his insult lacked the usual bite to it. Kageyama was sure Hinata thought he was some kind of anti-social freak with no friends now.

"Hey—bakageyama, wanna eat lunch together?"

Taken slightly aback by Hinata's response, Kageyama could only gape, wondering why Hinata hadn't made fun of his lack of friends.

"Hello? Kageyama? So do you wanna eat together or what?"

"...Yeah," Kageyama answered honestly. "I'd really like that."

I really like you.

『♪』I've got a tight grip on reality

Crap. No, this wasn't supposed to happen. That wasn't what he meant. He was just happy that he didn't have to spend lunch alone again, that's all.

『♪』But I can't let go of what's in front of me here

The rest of the day flew by quickly and Kageyama could barely remember the blur of classes after morning practice. In fact, the only thing on his mind was the wide smile and goofy laugh of a certain sunny middle blocker.

Finally, the bell signaling lunch rang and Kageyama almost knocked his chair over when he shot up out of his seat, ignoring the weird looks he received in return.

Walking briskly out of the classroom, he rounded the corner of the building to his favorite vending machine—the only one in the entire school that sold the giraffe brand of boxed milk he loved so much.

Stabbing the straw into the little silver circle at the top of the box, he took a slow sip and suddenly realized that he had no idea where Hinata usually sat.

He shrugged mindlessly and started to wander around, hoping to bump into someone who held the answer to his question. To his luck, he right into the boy himself who looked just as lost.

"Oh, there you are Bakageyama! I was just looking for you. You never told me where you wanted to meet!"

"Dumbass, you never asked."

"Oh well, why don't we eat on the roof then?" Hinata suggested, flashing Kageyama a bright smile.

Tobio swallowed quickly and nodded, not trusting himself to form coherent words.

"Come on, let's go then! I'm starving," Hinata added, breaking into a sprint and dragging Kageyama along with him.

Kageyama wanted to yell at him for being so reckless and tell him to slow down, but he just couldn't stop thinking about how he was holding Hinata's hand.

Or about how perfect Hinata's petite hand fit into his.

Kageyama gulped and shook his head to rid himself of his thoughts as Hinata started to slow down.

Tobio blinked as he took in his surroundings. They were on the roof? Since when? Was he really so occupied with the idea of holding Hinata's hand that he didn't even notice walking up three flights of stairs?

"Do you normally eat on the roof?" Kageyama blurted out, then internally cringed at how stupid he sounded.

"No, I usually eat in the cafeteria with some other first years in my class."

"Oh." Of course. Hinata's embarrassed to be seen eating lunch with me in public. That's why he took me to a more deserted area, Kageyama thought glumly.

『♪』I know you're leaving in the morning, when you wake up

"But I thought we could eat on the roof because I know you don't like crowded places much," Hinata smiled, giving Kageyama a thumbs up.

...Honestly, how does this boy even exist?

『♪』Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream, oh

That's it. It's official. Kageyama is definitely dreaming.

There's no way someone this kind was real.

『♪』You are, the only exception

And so, Kageyama reached out before he could stop himself and pulled Hinata into a tight hug, just to assure himself that the middle blocker wasn't just a figment of his imagination. Or maybe he did it because of the sudden impulse of burning desire swirling in his chest. Who knows?

"Hinata," He breathed, pulling the shorter boy closer. "Thank you for being so considerate, I mean it. You're the first person who has ever wanted to be my friend, to show me what trust meant. Thank you for caring about me."

Hinata snuggled into the hug, patting Kageyama's back affectionately. "'As long as I'm here, you're invincible.' That's what you said to me during the match against the Neighborhood Association, right? Well, you can always count on me to be there for you too, okay Bakageyama?"

『♪』You are, the only exception

Kageyama blushed all the way up to the tip of his ears after hearing Hinata echo his statement and immediately let go of him to cover the redness of his face. "Dumbass, I was referring to volleyball when I said that!" He sputtered as Hinata led him to a sunny spot on the roof where they sat down.

"Well, I think that applies here too!" Hinata grinned as he opened his bento. "Oh, and Kageyama?"

"What?"

"I'll always be there for you."

『♪』You are, the only exception

"You already said that."

"I know, and I meant it both times."

『♪』You are, the only exception

"Hey Hinata?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

『♪』You are, the only exception

Hinata gave Kageyama a genuine, heartwarming smile in return.

Thump.

There it was again. The sound of his resolve shattering. The sound of his once-repressed emotions overflowing.

It was then that Kageyama Tobio had fallen in love for the first time, whether he realized it or not.

『♪』You are, the only exception

Four months had passed by since their heart to heart conversation, and Kageyama found himself in the exact same position at lunch everyday.

He couldn't help but stare, so entrapped by Hinata's expressions as the shorter boy talked about his day thus far.

Kageyama was completely enamored by the short, orange-haired middle blocker. He couldn't help but wonder how he had gotten so lucky as to have someone like Hinata waltz into his life and make his heart flutter like he did.

The inky-haired boy sighed for the umpteenth time that day as he had gotten lost in his thoughts

"–geyama. Kageyama! Are you listening to me?"

"Your eyes are pretty."

"...What?"

Shit, did he say that out loud? Fuck, this wasn't supposed to happen.

『♪』You are, the only exception

"I just—I mean—your eyes...they tend to shine when you talk...and I really like seeing you happy..." Kageyama stuttered truthfully, completely flustered.

Great, now you've gone and done it. That might as well count as a confession! Dammit Tobio, you totally weirded him out.

"Oh," Hinata blushed and beamed, his eyes shining even brighter than before, if that was even possible. "Gwahh, Bakageyama!" He exclaimed, clutching his chest.

Kageyama wasn't sure what "Gwahh" meant, but he sure hoped it was a good sign.

『♪』You are, the only exception

Surprisingly, it was Hinata who confessed first.

Well, not counting Kageyama's accidental comment about Hinata's eyes.

It was December 22nd, after morning practice when Hinata had asked Kageyama to meet at their former spot on the roof for lunch (they had moved to an empty classroom because it had become too chilly to eat up there) because the middle blocker had something to tell him.

And of course, Kageyama panicked throughout his morning classes, wondering what it was that Hinata had to say to him. What if he wants to stop eating lunch with me?

Being too busy brooding, Kageyama didn't even realize the bell for lunch had rung until the teacher had to physically shake him to get him out of the classroom.

He shuffled reluctantly through the hallways he had gotten to know and the path that he had memorized by heart to get to the roof, taking a painstakingly long time to climb the flight of stairs.

Once he arrived to his destination, he was immediately greeted by the sight of a rosy-cheeked Hinata facing him and giving him a shy smile.

"Hinata? Aren't you cold?"

"O-Only a little."

"How long have you been waiting here? I'm sorry for taking so long."

"N-No, it's okay Kageyama! I'd wait for you forever if I had to," Hinata admitted, then squeaked as he realized what he had said.

"Dumbass, you'd get frostbite and die if you'd wait here forever."

"Th-That's not the point! I'm trying to say that–" Hinata paused to swallow his nerves.

"What? Would you hurry up? It's fuckin' freezing! Why can't we do this insi--?"

"Let me finish! Jesus Christ Bakageyama, I'm in love with you! And I'd wait for you forever, even if you don't have an answer now!"

Kageyama froze, shocked. Love? Hinata loved him?

"Kageyama. You totally don't have to respond right away, but I just want to tell you exactly how I feel."

Kageyama nodded stiffly, too surprised to answer coherently.

"Every time I'm with you, my heart goes all 'gwahhh' and 'bwahhh'! Like when I get a really good spike in! And then my stomach gets all 'paahh' like when I get nervous before a match..." Hinata trailed off, trying to explain further but falling short.

"I...I know how you feel."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I feel the same way every time you smile, or when you remind me that both of us are invincible when the other is there. Hinata, you're special to me, whether you're my best friend, my partner or my boyfriend, if you'd allow me to be yours."

『♪』And I'm on my way to believing

"Aww Kageyama, that's so sweet," Hinata started, but then realized what Kageyama had said. It was Hinata's turn to blush and sputter as his eyes turned to saucers and he let out a choked noise. "B-B-Boyfriend?"

Kageyama simply smiled, a real, genuine smile and linked his fingers with Hinata's.

Maybe there was such a thing as love.

『♪』Oh, and I'm on my way to believing.

**Author's Note:**

> hello !! i hope you enjoyed this little mini fic haha ( ´﹀` ) is it okay ? its my first time posting on ao3 so feedback would be nice ! ^^
> 
> anyway if you want to chat w me, comment below or msg me on tumblr @tervshima !! ♡


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